The effect of acetaldehyde on pancreatic and gastric secretion.

To ascertain whether any of the well-known effects of intravenous ethanol on pancreatic and gastric secretion could be due to its metabolite--acetaldehyde, a strong cytotoxic and sympathomimetic agent--acetaldehyde was given intravenously for 1 h (50, 100, and 200 mg/kg/h) in seven dogs. Acetaldehyde did not modify pancreatic secretion stimulated with secretin and caerulein, but under basal conditions 200 mg/kg/h slightly increased the volume and protein content of pancreatic juice. Acetaldehyde increased gastric secretion up to 4.03 meq/15 min in a dose-dependent manner, while serum gastrin remained unchanged. The increase of acidity persisted after propranolol and was inhibited but not abolished by ganglionic blockade. It can be concluded that physiological concentrations of acetaldehyde do not interfere with pancreatic secretion and that it is possible that the stimulatory effect of ethanol on gastric secretion is mediated at least partly through acetaldehyde.